Trump criticizes France: ‘France is no better than China’

Former President Donald Trump delivered sharp criticism of France during an interview with Fox News, responding to a question about foreign student admissions at American universities. Trump stated that French students are no better than their Chinese counterparts and pointed to ongoing issues with Paris, including what he described as unfair taxes on American technology and a 25 percent tariff on U.S. products imposed by France.

Trump’s remarks come at a time of heightened economic and geopolitical strain between Washington and Paris. Disagreements have deepened over recent months due to differing stances on the Israel-Palestine conflict and the war in Ukraine, with both issues contributing to widened rifts between the two allies.

On China, Trump has also adjusted his policy approach in recent months. While his administration had previously taken steps to revoke Chinese student visas, that policy was later reversed. In 2024, the number of Chinese students at U.S. universities dropped to 277,000 from 370,000 at the start of Trump’s presidency. Economically, last month’s meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping led Beijing to lift certain tariffs on American goods, signaling a tentative thaw in U.S.-China trade relations.